Trailer hitch build

[Jeff K]

I spent the day reverse engineering my hitch on my Black bike. I need one for my new red/black (half fast) and just can't bring myself to spend hundreds of dollars on a hitch. So I set out to measure and draw the hitch in cad to have someone water cut the parts out. After spending hours measuring and drawing I decided to whack one out with the plasma torch.

I think it will be fine

Rough cut...

[Red Dog]

Nice job Jeff. Wish I hade the talent and the tools.
Looks like you have the three piece bolt together syle.
Have you had any bolt loosening issues?

Again, nice job.

[Michvalk]

Looks like a great way to spend crappy weather. Lookin good so far

[Jeff K]

Nice job Jeff. Wish I hade the talent and the tools.
Looks like you have the three piece bolt together syle.
Have you had any bolt loosening issues?

Again, nice job.

No, I have not had any bolt issues. But I have had the bottom plate bend/twist. It twists after time. I may have to up the thickness of the bottom plate.

[Jeff K]

Looks like a great way to spend crappy weather. Lookin good so far

Crappy Weather? It was 75 and sunny all day. If Joanne didn't have so much work to do, we would have been on the road.

[olddog1946]

I have the same hitch. Before I even put it on the bike I made the posterboard cutouts. But after I mounted the hitch I just don't like the way it fits, seems the side pieces bow out quite abit, and I just never went any further than that. It works as it is and sits centered but I think it could be better. All I need to do is get off my butt and pull the bottom piece off and make one that will keep the bow out of the side.......However, if it's nice enough to be outside working it's nice enough to be riding, so riding it is.

[Bugslayer]

Nice job Jeff. Wish I hade the talent and the tools.
Looks like you have the three piece bolt together syle.
Have you had any bolt loosening issues?

Again, nice job.

No, I have not had any bolt issues. But I have had the bottom plate bend/twist. It twists after time. I may have to up the thickness of the bottom plate.

I have the same hitch. Since I pull a single wheel trailer, I didn't want any flex or movement from the hitch. My welder friend added some suports to the bottom plate. I also used much larger bolts. Works great.

[Jeff K]

I have the same hitch. Before I even put it on the bike I made the posterboard cutouts. But after I mounted the hitch I just don't like the way it fits, seems the side pieces bow out quite abit, and I just never went any further than that. It works as it is and sits centered but I think it could be better. All I need to do is get off my butt and pull the bottom piece off and make one that will keep the bow out of the side.......However, if it's nice enough to be outside working it's nice enough to be riding, so riding it is.

Bow out of the sides? The sides are bent in toward the fender. Anyway, I've been happy with mine for 100,000 miles. On a black bike with bags it's not very noticeable.

[jammer]

I like the  bolt on bottom plate where the ball mounts.  I have that  on my 99 I/S.  This setup  makes for easy  removal of the rear fender section when changeing  the tire. I welded a receiver to the bottom so I have a dual type hitch, i.e. ball or receiver.
Nice work Jeff as usual

[Jeff K]

Got the Chevy out the door so back to work on the hitch.


I have no idea how I survived without a plasma cutter.







Home made press brake. Ver 1.0  It works but need a better design. I have all the material, just haven't found the time to make Ver 2.0







It turned out pretty good!











So far so good. I have to add a tab to mount the light receptacle, then it's off to the powder coater! Oh thats me!  

[Joevalk]

powder coat that black and send it to me and I'll scrap it for you

[Michvalk]

Lookin good so far! Very pretty welds. The boy knows what he's doin

[olddog1946]

That is a fine job you've done with that hitch.  Might be an opprortunity for ya to make a few bucks building them.

[PhredValk]

Nice work.
Fred.

[old2soon]

I might have missed it somewhere. My question-is that 3/8 plate the receiver is welded to?? And B T W-good looking job there.  RIDE SAFE.

[Jeff K]

The receiver tube sits on a 3/4 solid block. The rest of the hitch is 1/4" plate steel.

[YoungPUP]

I know the hitch plans are over in shoptalk, but how about the plans for your homemade press/brake. Would be nice to have for the small projects.

[Farther]

I would assume that the original commercial hitch was made as three piece for shipping purposes.  Did you think of making the hitch one piece with the sides and base plate one piece?  That might reduce the weight somewhat.

[Jeff K]

Well the parts are back from the powder coater! That guy does a great job, fast, cheap and just an all around nice guy! 

[Jeff K]

I like the three piece design. I never had a problem with it at all.

[tank_post142]

Farther: being 3 piece you can just drop the center piece for tire changes, rather than pulling the whole hitch.

[Farther]

Pulling the whole hitch for a tire change would be a real POS.

[Jeff K]

My rear fender is welded one piece on my Fast I/S, my half Fast I/S still has the two piece fender.
I've been dropping the tire out the bottom for a long time. It would be a problem in a  parking lot though.

[Chrisj CMA]

Farther: being 3 piece you can just drop the center piece for tire changes, rather than pulling the whole hitch.

I have the Hitchdoc, essentially what Jeff built but all one piece.  I dont have to remove it to change a back wheel. 

BTW....very nice work Jeff, yours looks better than the ones you buy that you used as a pattern